Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday intensified his attack on Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan, sharing an old photograph purportedly showing the Congress leader at an RSS event, amid escalating political tensions ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections 2026.
Posting the image on social media, Vijayan said the people of Kerala deserved clarity on Satheesan's participation in a 2006 event marking the birth centenary of MS Golwalkar in North Paravur.
Golwalkar, the second chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, played a pivotal role in shaping the organisation's ideological framework.
'Clarify the deal': Vijayan's allegation
"In 2006, at the Golwalkar centenary event organised by the RSS in Paravur, the Leader of the Opposition should explain what 'deal' led him to inaugurate the programme, pay respects to Golwalkar's portrait, and light the ceremonial lamp," Vijayan said.
The Chief Minister alleged that Satheesan has repeatedly avoided answering questions about the 2006 event by referring to a separate programme held in 2013.
According to Vijayan, the event took place in February 2006 at a school in Paravur, just ahead of the Assembly elections, making the timing politically significant.
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Fresh claims over RSS links
Vijayan further claimed that in 2022, a leader of the Hindu Aikya Vedi, a Sangh-affiliated organisation, alleged that Satheesan had sought RSS support during the 2001 and 2006 Assembly elections.
"The Leader of the Opposition has not provided a clear response on this issue so far," Vijayan said, adding that such developments raise questions about possible political understandings.
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Congress vs CPM: 'Deal' allegations intensify
The latest remarks come as the Congress ramps up its campaign, accusing the CPM of having an alleged "BJP-CPM understanding" in select constituencies to weaken the Congress-led UDF.
Satheesan has claimed that such arrangements exist in parts of Pathanamthitta district as well as in Palakkad, Kasaragod, and Manjeshwar, where, he alleged, both parties are indirectly aiding each other electorally.
The ruling CPM has strongly rejected these allegations, even as the Kerala election campaign enters a crucial phase ahead of the April 9 polls.
PTI